This 30-minute crispy tofu stir fry is your go-to weeknight lifesaver! Packed with crispy golden tofu and boldly flavorful veggies, it’s quick, easy, totally customizable, and unbelievably delicious!

tofu stir fry in a bowl

Your favorite quick & easy weeknight dinner:

Whenever you’re in a pinch or need an awesome, flavorful, yet low-stress clean-out-the-fridge meal, I lean on this quick and easy 30 minute tofu stir fry. Big TIME.

Like my Teriyaki tofu, this meal is simple yet flavorful, perfect for any level of home cook (yes even my beginners!), and hits all of the right notes of comfort food in a bowl.

We have the crispiest tofu cooked in a toasted sesame oil with loads of veggies all slathered in the yummiest stir fry sauce. All made with the simplest ingredients too.

tofu stir fry in a pan

Serve with white rice, rice noodles, or ramen and you have the most comforting dinner that took no time (nor effort!) at all- that all eaters love, vegan or not!

Ingredient notes:

  • Extra-firm tofu: See my notes on why I chose extra firm below!
  • Sesame oil: This will add the most flavor to your tofu stir fry. It’s also high-heat, which is fantastic for cooking all of these veggies! You can also use avocado oil or another neutral oil, but sesame oil does add a really nice flavor!
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Arrowroot starch: You can also use cornstarch
  • Veggies: This part is so up to you- I use a combination of broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, bell pepper, and zucchini. You could use spinach, kale, or bok choy as well. Or even throw in some peas, water chestnuts, or baby corn as well! I really treat this dish as some sort of a clean-out-the-fridge meal. It’s the best!
  • Soy sauce: You can also use Tamari or coconut aminos for gluten-free.
  • Vegetable broth: You can also use water and some salt, but veggie broth is the best.
  • Maple syrup: Just a touch of sweetness to the sauce!

What type of tofu is best?

I like to use extra-firm tofu for the texture that resembles non-plant proteins the most. It’s sturdier and allows for a crispier texture when pan-fried.

You can check out my whole guide on how to cook tofu here that gives my full tips and tricks for various methods of cooking different types of tofu!

bowl of veggie stir fry with tofu

Overview: Step-by-Step Instructions for how to make tofu stir fry

For the full written instructions and ingredient measurements, see the bottom of this post in the recipe card. You can also hit the “jump to recipe” button at the top of this post! Here, we’ll go over a brief overview of the steps, along with providing visuals for a better understanding of the recipe.

crispy tofu cooking
First, we’ll toss the tofu in arrowroot starch, salt and pepper, and cook it in toasted sesame oil until crisp.
veggies cooking
Next, we’ll add in more sesame oil, vegan butter, and cook the veggies.
stir fry sauce
Whisk together the stir fry sauce.
cooked stir fry
Add back in the tofu, grate the ginger, and pour in the stir fry. Toss to evenly coat.
seasoned veggie stir fry
Season with sesame seeds!
seasoned tofu stir fry in a bowl
Plate, and enjoy!

Key tips for making the best tofu stir fry

  • Use sesame oil: The sesame oil will toast in the pan or wok before adding the tofu in, giving the stir fry optimal flavor.
  • Meal prep the veggies! This is always such a timesaver. It’s not perfect, but some weeks I do chop up all of the veggies we purchased at the store, so then when it comes to this stir fry, the prep work goes down to 2-5 minutes. I don’t know about you, but some nights, I just don’t want to think about the extra work of prepping for dinner, and this is just such a game changer.
  • The larger the pan, the better: An overcrowded pan will lead to food not cooking evenly, and therefore you’re not maximizing flavor. A large pan, but even better yet, a wok, will allow you to cook all veggies evenly and distribute the flavor evenly as well.
bowl of veggie stir fry

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If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

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tofu stir fry in a pan

Easy 30 Minute Crispy Tofu Stir Fry Recipe

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  • Author: Britt Berlin
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Saute
  • Cuisine: Chinese
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This 30-minute crispy tofu stir fry is your go-to weeknight lifesaver! Packed with crispy golden tofu and boldly flavorful veggies, it’s quick, easy, totally customizable, and unbelievably delicious!

Ingredients

Scale

Crispy Tofu:

  • 16 ounces extra firm tofu
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil, divided

Vegetable Stir Fry: 

  • 1 tbsp vegan butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 8 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 heads broccoli, washed and cut into florets
  • 1 zucchini, sliced or cubed
  • 2 carrots, julienned
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, cubed
  • 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

Stir Fry Sauce:

  • 1/2 (120 mL) soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp cold water
  • 1 tbsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch
  • 1 tsp sambal oelek or chili paste, optional

Finishing Garnishes:

  • Sesame seeds
  • Chopped scallions
  • Toasted chopped cashews

Instructions

  1. Prep the tofu & veggies: Press the tofu in a tofu press or wrapped in a cloth with a stack of books. See my guide on how to cook tofu here for more info. Make sure all veggies are prepped. This should take 10-15 minutes.
  2. Toss: Once pressed, tear the tofu into about 1″ cubes. Place the pieces into a medium bowl, along with the sea salt, black pepper, and arrowroot starch. Toss to evenly coat and set aside.
  3. Heat: In a large saute pan, large skillet, or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil on high heat for 1-2 minutes, until hot. Add the tofu, and saute the tofu until crispy brown on all sides, about 3-5 minutes. Once cooked, place the tofu back into the bowl, and set aside.
  4. Cook: Replace the pan or wok back to the stove and add the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil along with the vegan butter. Add in the garlic and onions, and saute until the garlic is fragrant and lightly browned. Then add in the broccoli, zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, and bell pepper. Toss to evenly coat in the oils. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover to cook for 7-10 minutes.
  5. While the veggies are cooking, make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together all stir fry sauce ingredients. If you don’t want spice, omit the sambal oelek.
  6. Finish the stir fry: Once the onions are translucent, the broccoli is vibrantly green and soft, and the remaining veggies are cooked, add back in the tofu, grate the ginger over the tofu and veggies, and pour in the stir fry sauce. Toss to evenly coat. Continue to saute for 1-2 minutes until evenly coated and cooked then remove from heat.
  7. Serve and enjoy! Plate the tofu stir fry with white rice, sesame seeds, chopped scallions, and chopped cashews or peanuts if desired. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Enjoy!

Notes

Gluten free: Use Tamari soy sauce or coconut aminos.

Soy free: You can use a pumpkin seed-or chickpea based tofu and coconut aminos to be soy free.